I would like to know what all the fuss about the smoking ban is.

Being a smoker for over 40 years I think it is the best thing the government has come up with. It is for the benefit of everyone's health, including my own, and now I intend to stop smoking due to being discouraged by the new rules on smoking in public places. It must have cost millions of taxpayers' money to try to encourage people to stop smoking, but public house licensees are encouraging smokers to carry on smoking by planning beer gardens just to get round the law.

Licensees are putting profits before people's health and the planning should be turned down if it is just to get round the smoking ban.

JNA Moulding, Bolton